


Christmas in July

by hazelwho



Category: due South
Genre: Canada, F/F, F/M, Families of Choice, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Holidays, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 16:24:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2779820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazelwho/pseuds/hazelwho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Family, food, and the women who love Fraser and Kowalski.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas in July

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dessert_first](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dessert_first/gifts).



> For dessert_first. When I read your dear Santa letter, so much of what you said resonated with me. I hope you like reading this as much as I liked writing it for you. =)
> 
> Thanks to akamine_chan for the beta. As always, she makes everything better.

“It’s kind of a Christmas-in-July thing,” said Ray. Barbara could hear the smile in her son’s voice, though she couldn’t quite understand why that would be funny.

“That sounds wonderful, especially since you two are neck deep in snow and unable to travel in December. I’ll talk to your father when he comes in from the garage.”

“Greatness. It’ll be the whole first week of July. Kind of a week-long party.”

Barbara smiled. “Hm. Sounds like a traditional Polish Christmas then. I could make some _golabki_?”

“Yes, please,” said Ray reverently. “And…maybe some _piernik_?”

“Of course, dear. And _pierogi_. Maybe one of the fish dishes, depending on what we can find up there fresh.”

“That would be amazing. I…one thing I _do_ miss about Chicago is the food. It’s good up here, but it’s, you know, different. And anything familiar costs an arm and a leg.”

“I know. It’s hard enough finding Polish groceries and restaurants in Arizona. But Christmas is a time for tradition, even if it’s a non-traditional Christmas!”

“Thanks, Mom. I knew you’d understand.”

“Of course, Stanley. That’s what mothers do. Your father and I love you.”

“Love you too. See you soon.”

Barbara smiled to herself as she hung up the phone. After five years up north, it seemed like her son was finally admitting it was a permanent relocation, and he was inviting his family into his life up there. _Good_ , she thought. _Life’s too short to worry about what other people think._

* * *

“Hello?”

“Hello, Maggie. I trust you’re well?” Maggie smiled at her brother’s formal greeting and the genuine warmth behind it.

“Benton! Hello! Yes, I’m very well, thank you. How are you and Ray?”

She heard him swallow, the way he always did when she treated the two of them as a unit. She could imagine him blushing a bit.

“Very well, thank you. Diefenbaker and I just completed a long patrol. No criminals to catch this time, much to his chagrin. And Ray continues to divide his time between the high school and the Cultural Center. I’m told his presence there is absolutely essential at least once a week, and have been assured there will be dire consequences should I ever allow him to leave.”

Maggie laughed. “Yeah, that sounds about right. I know those kids adore him. Ray’s kind of hard not to love.”

“Indeed,” murmured Benton, surprising Maggie by responding. Before she could think of anything else to say, Benton changed the topic.

“I’m calling to invite you to a…celebration…the first week of July. Call it Christmas in July. We’re inviting our friends from Chicago, and Ray’s parents are coming up from Arizona. I…we…would very much like it if you came as well.”

“Of course. I’ll talk to my boss tomorrow, but I don’t think it will be a problem. They’re always trying to get me to use some of my leave.”

“We’re not advocating for a gift exchange, but we would like your help with setting the mood. Ray’s mother has decided we should have traditional holiday food, and I’ve been told in no uncertain terms that does not include pemmican. Perhaps you could assist with decorations?”

They chatted for a bit longer before Benton had to go. Maggie hung up, still smiling. She poured herself a glass of wine and started thinking about what to bring.

* * *

Eliane had a headache. They’d gotten the kids up before dawn and had spent 16 of the last 18 hours on airplanes. This last plane was tiny; it had just 6 rows, and the landing had been choppy. Elaine looked over at her wife and smiled. Frannie’s face was lit up as she talked with their children, who were clapping and bouncing in their seats. Little Ray was hooting like an owl and Sofia was giggling uncontrollably. Elaine smiled. They were such a blessing in her life, and she was very glad to be able to spend some time with them. The last five years had been difficult, full of hard choices and long nights. Making detective had been rewarding, but it had meant longer and less predictable hours. She and Frannie had been stretched a bit thin since her promotion, and she was looking forward to this chance to focus on her family.

“Madre! Madre! Mommy says there are wolves and bears and owls here! WHOOOOOO! WHOOOOOO!” shrieked Ray.

“Yes, I think there are,” Elaine smiled back. “And I bet if you ask your Uncle Ray or your Uncle Ben, they’ll show you where some of the wildlife lives.”

“An’ Deeeeef!” demanded Sofia, her toddler pout fully in place.

“Of course you’ll meet Dief,” promised Frannie. “And I’m sure he can’t wait to meet you either. He may even be waiting with your uncles for our airplane.”

Elaine smiled. Sofia’s expectations were set pretty high, thanks to Kowalski’s stories about Dief the Canadian wolf-cop who used to go “GRRRRR” and scare the bad guys to save the day. Dief was a hero. Dief was the smartest animal that ever lived. Dief was kind to turtles, even though everyone knew the turtle and the wolf were natural enemies. Every time the kids talked to Ray and Fraser, Sofia demanded another Dief story. Then Sofia had once mixed up her Uncle Rays and asked Vecchio about it. Vecchio hadn’t missed a beat before starting in on Dief stories, and the legend had grown.

The plane taxied to a standstill and after a quick exchange of glances with Frannie, Elaine started gathering up their belongings while Frannie readied the kids. They each had a bag over their shoulders and a kid on their hips when they made their way down the steps and on to the tarmac. Fraser and Kowalski and Dief were waiting, the two men beaming and the wolf with a lupine smile, tongue lolling and ears upright. Kowalski had more silver at his temples than when she’d last seen him, and Fraser had developed crow’s feet and laugh lines. They were both aging well.

They hugged Ray and Fraser, and the kids were introduced. At four, Ray was almost old enough to remember his uncles from their previous trips to Chicago, but Sofia decided to be shy and buried her face in Elaine’s neck. Elaine turned toward her and whispered to her.

“Sofie, don’t you want to meet Uncle Fraser and Uncle Ray? And what about Dief? He’s here too.”

Sofia cautiously turned around, inspecting Fraser and Kowalski before her disbelieving gaze slid to Dief. Fraser stepped toward them.

“Hello, Sofia,” he said with that charming grin of his. “Welcome to Canada.”

Sofia grinned, because Fraser was irresistible, even to a two year old. “Canana?”

“Canada,” enunciated Fraser.

Sofia looked to the left. “Canana Ray?” she asked, pointing at Kowalski.

“Uhhhh, okay,” he smiled gamely.

Frannie laughed. “For some reason, our kids are more confused by having two Uncle Rays than they by having two Mommies. So after a few mix-ups, we’d tell them that their Uncle Canada Ray or their Uncle Florida Ray was on the phone. Though that didn’t really seem to stop them from thinking you were the same person. Which is understandable, considering.”

Kowalski’s eyes crinkled up and his dimples showed through his stubble. He was looking good, just as comfortable in flannel and jeans as Fraser ever was. The north agreed with him. He bent down to be on eye level with the two kids.

“Would you guys like to meet Diefenbaker? He’s been real excited to meet you. He gets mad every time Frase and I go to Chicago to visit you and he can’t come with.”

The kids nodded and wiggled their way down to the ground so they could sit and talk with Dief. Kowalski was telling them about Dief and how you had to make sure he was looking at you when you talked to him. Elaine smiled and glanced at Frannie, who was also biting back a grin. Yup, Kowalski had definitely embraced all the weirdness that went with the Mountie.

“It’s so good to see you ladies again. And it’s such an honor to be able to welcome you into our home. I know how hard the trip is, even without children, and I…we…really appreciate your efforts.”

Frannie hugged him again, then slipped an arm around Elaine’s side.

“No problem, Frase. We’re happy to be here, and to see you two. We’ve seen you, what, once since the wedding? It’s time.”

Frannie smiled up at Elaine then and Elaine’s heart warmed. She squeezed her wife’s waist a bit tighter and smiled back at her. When she looked back at Fraser, she expected him to be embarrassed, but he surprised her with a happy little grin.

“Yes, definitely time for a reunion. I’ve missed my Chicago family.”

Fraser and Kowalski looked at each other and had a wordless conversation. Fraser picked up the luggage while Ray rounded up the kids and Dief, and they headed for the truck.

* * *

Stella stepped in to the kitchen in search of coffee. There was a percolator on the stove, bubbling away, so she helped herself and made her way to the dining room table where Barbara, Fraser, Elaine, and Frannie were bent over a piece of paper. Stella had a bit of a surreal moment as she realized she was sitting down with her ex-mother-in-law, her sister-in-law and her wife, and her ex-husband’s not-husband. Her life was so strange sometimes. She shook her head and smiled at the group, thankful that each of these amazing people were in her life.

“What are we doing?”

“Planning out a traditional non-traditional Canadian-Italian-Belizean-Polish Christmas in July feast,” answered Frannie with a grin.

Stella looked hopefully at Barbara. “ _Piernik_?”

Barbara laughed and patted her hand. “Yes, dear, _piernik_. And _golabki_ and _pierogi_ and _barszcz_. Elaine is making a spicy meat dish with rice and beans and Francesca is making a lasagna. We’ve had to adapt some of the recipes for local meats and produce. It’s going to be very interesting to see how it all turns out.”

“Oh, that sounds lovely! I’m not much of a cook myself…”

“Don’t worry, sis,” said Frannie, “You and Ray were in charge of the wine. Kowalski took him in to town early this morning. Apparently there was a lot of outrage over the high prices and low quality of reds.”

“I can imagine,” smiled Stella.

“Speaking of Ray, where has my brother gotten to with my kids?”

“Ah. I believe that Ray and Ray and Ray and Sofia and Diefenbaker went on a walk,” said Fraser. Stella shook her head to clear it and took another sip of coffee. Yes, her life was very strange indeed.

Ray stuck his head in the front door. “Frase, Maggie’s here, and she brought a freaking _tree_ with her.”

“Oh my. If you ladies will excuse me…”

Fraser headed outside and Frannie and Elaine went with him. Stella smiled over at her former mother-in-law. She looked older now, and smaller, than Stella remembered, but the laughter in her eyes hadn’t changed.

“Your plans really do sound wonderful. Barbara, I’ve missed your Christmas dinners. It’s been years, but I still think about going to your house for the holidays. Everything smelled amazing and tasted even better. Your home was so full of warmth and light and laughter. It was everything my family wasn’t.”

“Your parents loved you, in their way. They are reserved people, proper people. We were loud and messy, and that appeals to the young. But I’m glad you have good memories of it all, my dear.” Barbara smiled over at her. “Your new life suits you well though. You and Ray seem very happy together, and I’m sure you’re not wanting for people and food at the holidays with Italian in-laws.”

Stella smiled. “The Vecchios are very good to me. It’s wonderful to be able to spend the holidays with them.” Stella smiled ruefully. “And…it’s also nice to live in Florida the rest of the time. Ray and I are very happy there.”

“With the bowling alley, is it?” Barbara said with a knowing grin. Most of her friends had figured out a DA and a cop don’t retire at the height of their careers and open a bowling alley, and Barbara Kowalski was no fool either.

“Mmm-hmm. A bowling alley,” said Stella, with a wink and a grin.

The front door opened and in poured the two children, Dief, her husband, Elaine and Frannie. Ray and Frannie moved a table over and Elaine herded the kids onto the couch. The top of a sapling fir tree peeked through the door, carried by Ray and Fraser and his sister. It looked a little like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree at first glance, but then Stella took in the details. It was in a plastic pot, and was clearly intended to be planted outside. Maggie had found them a holiday tree in July, and had gotten one that wasn’t meant to be cut down and disposed of, but rather would be planted and thrive long after they all went home.

 _Well done, Maggie_ she thought as she stepped forward for a better look.

* * *

Frannie put her lasagna in the oven and gave Elaine’s spicy mystery-meat dish a stir. The unleavened bannock Fraser had made that morning was cooling on the breakfast bar. Something magical was happening with cabbage on the stove so that it now smelled savory and delicious instead of, well, like cabbage. Barbara and the entire counter she had taken over were covered in flour.

“Need any help?” asked Frannie.

“Oh, no dear, I could make these in my sleep. Go, enjoy your children. I’ll be done shortly.”

Frannie smiled at Kowalski’s mom. She seemed like a really nice lady, and the way she cooked reminded her of her own Ma. She peeked into the living room where she saw Damien Kowalski talking to her brother about cars, and made her way to the dining table where her children sat with Ray Kowalski.

“Momma! We maked these!” said Sofia, holding up a snowflake cut out of white paper and decorated with crayon scribbles.

“Oh, these are _lovely_ ,” said Frannie, gathering up all the snowflakes her kids handed over for her inspection. “Where should we put them?”

“They’re for the tree!” said her son. “Right, Uncle Ray?”

“Yup, you got it, buddy. Snowflake ornaments for the tree.” Frannie looked over and saw that he was carefully attaching a fishing line loop to the top of each of the ornaments. Ray smiled up at her. “Elaine and Stell are on the front porch and Fraser and Maggie are feeding the dogs.”

Frannie nodded. “Looks like you guys have got this under control. I’m gonna go find your madre and your Uncle Fraser and make sure they’ll be ready to eat in an hour.”

Frannie stopped to put on her boots and heard her wife’s voice drift through the open screen door.

“…you know how it is.”

“Oh yes,” said Stella, “I remember well. You have to be twice as good, but still get half the respect and when you _are_ good at your job, they just call you a bitch. That was a while ago though. Is it any better now?”

“Before Frannie and I got married, a bunch of the guys called me Best Breasts instead of Besbriss. And my lesbian civil union in Vermont…well. I’m sure you can imagine. It’s a little better now that I’ve made detective, but…”

Stella sighed. “It’ll keep getting better. One day you’ll be running the place, after all, and they’ll be too scared to cross you.”

Elaine laughed. “I don’t want to be captain. Welsh still never gets out of the place before 7pm, and I want to be able to spend time with my family. It’s hard enough going to work each morning when Frannie gets to stay with the kids. I feel like I’m missing so much of it, and I feel like I’m dumping the work on to her.”

Frannie held her breath. They’d had this out before, and she thought she’d reassured Elaine on that front.

“You’re a great mom,” said Stella softly. “I don’t think I would have been; I never wanted to be. But the way you are with those kids? It’s so obvious that they’re your world. They know it. And Frannie knows it too.”

Elaine didn’t say anything back, so Frannie stepped out on to the porch and joined them on the swing. After a while, Stella got up and went inside. Frannie still didn’t say anything, just leaned in closer to her wife. Elaine’s arm came up around her and they sat there, rocking on a porch swing in Nunavut, more at peace than they’d been in a year.

Eventually Fraser and Maggie came back with Dief and everyone traipsed inside for dinner. Ray and Ray and Damien were taking turns lifting up the kids so they could hang snowflakes on the higher branches of the tree. Stella and Barbara Kowalski had set the table. Elaine and Frannie headed into the kitchen and started transferring dishes to the dining table. Soon enough, everyone was gathered around and looking expectantly at Fraser.

“Good evening. Thank you all so much for coming all this distance to spend time with us.” He looked over at Kowalski. “Ray and I wanted to are so lucky to have all of you in our lives. Before I went to Chicago, I never thought I’d have anything like this. I would have said I have led a solitary existence, but now I can say I was lonely. I was lonely and had just lost my father, the only family I had left.” Dief barked. “Yes, except for you, Diefenbaker. We went to Chicago expecting to stay a few days and hoping to find justice. Instead I found a family, and a home.” Fraser was getting choked up, and he looked over at Ray to finish.

Kowalski raised his glass of wine and everyone else did the same. He looked around the table at his parents, at Maggie, at Ray Vecchio and Stella, the kids, Elaine, and finally at Frannie. “To family. The ones we’ve always had, the ones we found along the way, and the ones we chose for ourselves.”

Frannie grabbed her wife’s hand and smiled.

“To family,” murmured everyone.


End file.
